I do not own FMA or claim too. I appreciate all who read.

Just enjoy the story and new chapters will keep coming.

Chapter 18

Hope

Roy sits down beside his wife and grabs her hand. Hearing her voice for the first time was a relief that he didn't realize how badly he needed. She goes to move her other hand and realizes the cast that is on it. She lets go of Mustangs hand and feels her head to feel the bandages that are wrapped around most of it. Roy takes her hand and places it on her stomach. A look of concern comes across her face.

"Roy, is there something else that is wrong with me?"

"No dear, nothing else is wrong with you. Your left hand was shattered and you suffered some minor brain swelling. Aside from a bunch of cuts and bruises you are going to live through this."

"Then, why is my hand on my stomach?"

"Dear, we have a new challenge ahead of us. Out of all the military training we have had and wars we fought together. This mission will be a test of our knowledge. I hear parenting can be quite brutal from time to time."

Her eyes widen and tears start to form. Roy takes his hand and places it on her cheek. She closes her eyes and sits up to wrap her arm around him. They hold each other for a few minutes then she gasps and pushes Roy away.

"Does this mean that everyone knows about us?"

"Don't worry about anything and only the people who are trustworthy have knowledge about this."

"Well we better get everything that we need in order. When do we leave this place?"

"Now hold on a second. I don't think you will be returning to front line just yet. With that hand of yours unuseable, I think you better be working the office."

"Roy, don't you dare try to pull rank on me now. We were almost killed and now I have a baby that I am thinking of. I want to fight as soon as I can."

" Then lets make a deal. We both work the command center and when a possible fight comes up. I will go alone. As soon as you are able to hold your own I will make sure you get plenty of fighting in. Don't worry about getting your revenge just yet. I am sure we will have plenty of time to get that son of a bitch."

"I just can't imagine sitting down in some office while you go and fight on your own."

"This is the point where you just need to agree with me. From a professional stand point, it is unethical to have a subordinate guarding me when they can no longer fully protect themselves. From a personal stand point, I will not have my wife and soon to be mother risking her life when it is completely pointless. I love you and I am only thinking of your safety."

" I love you to Roy. For now I will wait until I am able to fight. Once I am, you better not hold me down."

"I think I can agree with that. Now I better start filling you in on what all has happened since you have been napping."

Two days have passed since the Elrics visited their friend in Central. Havoc lays in his room with a cigarette hanging from his mouth. Colonel Armstrong is sitting next to him reading the paper. With the Elrics leading the investigation, he has placed himself in charge of Havocs security. Still, no word yet of the whereabouts of Bosely since the attack. With the possibility of him still being in Central, the hospital and Havoc are still very important. Havoc takes his smoke from his mouth and flicks the ashes onto the floor.

"Sir, I think you can find a better way to entertain yourself."

"Don't waste your breath on such nonsense. Every man is important to this State and you are no exception."

"Well I guess this pretty much ends my military career. I can't very well continue to work with part of my body missing."

"Stop that nonsense. You have orders coming in from the General and regardless of your condition, I do expect you to carry them out."

"What orders?"

There is a knock on the door and Armstrong gets up to answer it. He opens it to see Falman standing there. He is in his civilian clothes and carrying a bag with him. He walks over to Havoc and salutes him. He reaches into his bag and pulls out a large file for Havoc. He hands the file over to him and sits down where Armstrong was sitting.

"This is a direct order from General Mustang. First Lt. Havoc, you are ordered to recover as soon as possible and follow the instructions in this folder."

"Boy, I'm barely conscious and the General is just throwing me into the grinder. I hope it's nothing too risky."

He opens the folder and starts reading. A small chuckle comes out of him as he closes it. Armstrong goes to the door but is stopped by Falman. He pulls out another file and hands it to Armstrong.

"Sorry Sir, but this order is for you and it is absolute."

"Hmm, I see I am supposed to report to Rush Valley. Why would the General place such an order?"

"You are to take over the security and help General Mustang along with Lt. Hawkeye in their temporary command center."

"I see, and what about the security of this hospital?"

"I will head up the security here and work alongside the Elrics in the investigation on Bosely."

"Well with you in charge here and Edward and Al working. I feel comfortable with these orders. Lt. Havoc I look forward to your return."

He salutes Falman and Havoc and leaves the room. Falman goes to sit down by Havoc and sees that his cigarette is about to go out. He lights it for him and sits beside his fellow soldier.

"So, what does the General have in mind for you?"

"Well, I have detailed instructions on how I should get better. The other section is a travel order."

"A travel order?"

"Yes, it seems that to fully recover from this incident, I must go to a small town called Resembool."

Back in the Capitol Building, the Elrics are working in an office going over all information regarding Bosely. They have to go over every lead and piece of information that comes through there. So far they have only turned up dust in their search. Every lead has led them a little closer to him but now finding the next good one was a challenge. Al gets up and heads toward the door.

"Brother, its time we do things a little different."

"What's wrong with this?"

"All those years ago, we traveled in search of our answers. We didn't stay cooped up in some office or center to solve our cases. We spent months in Rush Valley to catch criminals that might have been able to help us."

"It's different now. Now we have a specific target and following up on these leads and letting the other men do the hard work. We got the easier job here."

"I don't want the easier job. I'm sick of this way of doing things. I want to get out there and find this man and get my body back."

"Don't be stupid, you know you can't just go out there and do whatever you want."

"I never thought I would say this to you brother, but when did you become such a coward?"

Ed stops reading and stands up from his desk. He walks up to Al and shoves him into the door. Al claps his hands and puts them on the wall behind him. The wood paneling comes off the wall and smacks Ed right upside the head. Ed falls to his feet and shakes his head. He claps his hands and goes to place them on the floor but Al stops him with a transmutation on his own. The carpet on the floor wraps Ed up like a gift under the Christmas Tree. He walks up to Ed and smacks him right upside the head.

"Damnit Al, let me go."

"No, Ed, not until you realize how bad you have gotten."

"Shut up, you don't know what your talking about."

"Look at yourself Ed. You don't have the ability to even fight against me in little kiddy games. With everything that we did when looking for the stone, something like this should have been nothing. Are you just scared of losing? Are you scared of Bosely, or how about not being able to fix me?"

"I can't fight like I used too. This time I just have to be careful."

"But why fight like that?"

"I promised Winry I wouldn't let anything happen to me. I also promised her I would take care of you as well."

"Listen, brothers, I know you don't want anything to happen to me. I know that you are worried that things are going get dangerous. This journey we are on poses more danger then anything we encountered. People are dying and getting hurt all around us. Through all of that, people still believe in you. Mustang still trusts you with his life like so many do. Right now we need the Fullmetal Alchemist fighting this battle. We don't need Major Elric who sits behind a desk reading paperwork and giving orders. If you want to see Winry again, if you want to see me back in my body, then stop this careful behavior."

Al claps his hands and places them on the floor to release his brother. He goes to transmute and realizes he doesn't need too. Ed performs a transmutation and puts everything back the way it was. He walks up to Al and kicks him right in the chest. Al crashes into the wall and before he can adjust to what has happened, Ed has a blade from his automail right against Al's eye.

"Brother, what are you doing?"

"This is a promise to you Al. I promise to stop this behavior. From now on its full speed ahead and don't expect me to slow down for anyone. Let's go out there and check out these leads for ourselves. Lets hope that we run into some trouble before the day is done."